(Newser)
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Walter Russell Mead has some interesting advice for those (and he's looking at you, Thomas Friedman) who think the US is making a horrible mistake by falling behind China in the development of electric cars: Ignore the problem. That's right, let China do the heavy lifting (and spending) on this, and when its engineers perfect the electric auto, we can just piggy-back off them, he writes in the American Interest.

Among his points: Detroit's been making inferior cars for years, so why would anyone think they're going to suddenly outshine foreign makers on electric models? Also, if electric cars do come on the market, oil exporters will have to slash prices. "Americans will be swooping over the interstates as our gas prices fall," writes Mead. "The Arabs and the Venezuelans will be begging us to take that black gooey stuff off their hands. SUV sales will boom; since this is about the only car Detroit can make profitably, the US car industry will enjoy another respite from its long decline." He admits it's a cynical strategy, but he says it's also a practical one.

Electric cars may sounds like "the thing" that could stir us from our oil dependency, BUT truth be told, 'electric cars aren't going to save us" 1) electric cars are not dependable as oil fuel run cars- a tiny problem in an electric cars could totally shut down the whole car. 2) an electric car requires a large capacity battery to store and run the car. large capacity batteries weights a lot and the material use to make these car batteries are rare on earth. Thus, more of the car's electricity is use to not only move the car but also the heavy battery. 3) electricity doesn't come from nothing!! it comes from another energy source whether it is burning coal, oil or solar/hydro energy. not only that but we must also take into account the laws of thermal-dynamic which state that energy is lost as it is transfer. so we are putting in twice the amount of energy into a car just to run it normal and yet it is not dependable, how is that going to save us? electric cars are the answer to our oil dependency.

SilenceDogood

Oct 1, 2010 5:11 AM CDT

J D powers is a hack. Toyota and Honda products are superior to any American made vehicle. GM and Chrysler are sub-standard, however Ford does try to build a quality product. The only American manufacturer that could handle this is FOMOCO, however their probably so pissed at Obama and Congress for subsidizing GM they would tell him to piss up a rope. As for the technology for an electric car, it’s not that deep, the real issues is the battery. Battery R&D is at an all time high, whomever develops the next affordable hi power, low density battery will be rich beyond avarice.

Colin

Oct 1, 2010 2:29 AM CDT

Can't wait for the electric car. Just invested in a company that invented the 200 mile extension cord.